Two New Westminster Secondary School students have been awarded scholarships from Beedie Luminaries.
Mariam Shaheen and Vincent Tang are among the B.C. students receiving scholarships from Ryan Beedie’s foundation, Beedie Luminaries. This year, the foundation is awarding $7.4 million in scholarships to students across B.C.
“Receiving a Beedie Luminaries scholarship signifies more than financial assistance; it signifies a gateway to a supportive community, mentorship, and personal growth,” Shaheen, a New West resident, said in a news release. “Applying for this scholarship isn't just about funding; it's about embracing a journey of empowerment and seizing opportunities for a brighter future."
According to a news release from the Beedie Luminaries foundation, the scholarships, worth up to $44,000 each for undergraduate studies and $50,000 for graduate studies, will go to 113 Grade 12 students, 13 graduate students, 14 refugee and immigrant students and 27 single parents.
Tang, a Burnaby resident, said it means a lot to receive the scholarship, as it has “greatly lightened” the financial burden on his family.
“This scholarship has allowed me to put all my energy and focus on my studies. I hope one day I will be able to provide similar aid to Beedie Luminaries students as well as to my community,” Tang said. “Other students should consider applying for a Beedie Luminaries scholarship because it will reduce the financial burden for their families and create more opportunities for them to pursue their future endeavours successfully.”
Since 2019, Beedie Luminaries has awarded a total of $35 million in scholarships to 792 students from communities across the province.
“Over the past five years, it has been inspiring to watch Beedie Luminaries scholarship recipients thrive, successfully complete their studies and begin their careers while overcoming many challenges in their lives,” Beedie said in a news release. “I feel strongly that cost should not be a barrier to education. That’s why we are trying to level the playing field and provide more students facing barriers with opportunities to reach new heights that may seem otherwise impossible.”
Beedie Luminaries’ SHINE (Soaring Higher IN Education) scholarship program supports promising Grade 12 students who are facing financial barriers to attending post-secondary and provides them with up to $44,000 over four years as well as additional wrap-around resources in the form of mentors, student success managers, peer support groups, paid internships and ongoing support from the Beedie Luminaries community.
This year’s SHINE scholarship recipients come from 63 high schools in 25 communities across B.C. Of these students, 50 per cent come from single-parent or legal guardian families and 31 per cent will be the first in their immediate family to pursue post-secondary education.
“Since we launched, we have heard from so many students facing barriers in their lives, each with different educational and career goals,” Beedie said. “That’s why we expanded Beedie Luminaries to cover a spectrum of educational and training opportunities and provide support to a broader range of students. Today, we have targeted programs for high school students, single parents, refugees, graduate students and, most recently, students who want to pursue a career in the skilled trades.”
To complement the foundation’s four existing scholarship programs (SHINE for Grade 12 students, RISE for refugees, SPARK for single parents, and Grad Studies for graduate students), it launched BUILD in May 20124.
BUILD supports students who want to learn a skilled trade by providing scholarships worth up to $20,000 towards their Red Seal accreditation and by connecting them to apprenticeship opportunities through a partnership with the Independent Contractors and Business Association. In BUILD’s 2025 pilot cohort, only students enrolled in the carpenter, electrician, plumber, welder or sheet metal worker programs at BCIT will be eligible, but Beedie Luminaries intends to expand eligibility to include all 15 public post-secondary institutions offering trades programs in B.C.
